The story of one foster kid is on the shelves to raise money to help hundreds more. A small non-profit is taking aim at a huge goal. The Foster Kids of the Merrimack Valley is raising money to open a halfway house for kids aging out of the foster system. At the center of their […]
By: Oscar Camargo – Jan. 2015 Since announcing my candidacy, people from the 18th Essex (Andover, Boxford, North Andover, and Tewksbury) have been supportive of my decision. I’m not surprised, given that State Representative Jim Lyons’ three terms have been unaccomplished. Rep. Lyons has accrued one of the lowest committee attendance records in the State […]
By: Senator Katy Ives – Jan. 2016 There have been a number of important legislative developments toward tackling public records reform. This month’s column is an opportunity to describe the status of public records legislation in the effort to produce meaningful public records reform this session. At the onset, Senator Jason Lewis filed S.1676, which […]
“We’ve turned a corner,” said Rep. Jim Lyons, “but we still have a long, long way to go.” Reflecting on the first half of the 2015-2016 legislative sessions, State Representative Jim Lyons (R-Andover) noted that it was a productive year marked by many legislative accomplishments, although vital challenges remain to be addressed. “From the beginning,” […]
By: Tom Duggan – Jan. 2016 He’s a Hollywood actor, an author, a musician and a singer, but Steve Blackwood says his latest passion is teaching and he has started up his own actors studio in North Andover to teach local talent what it takes to make it in show business. “It’s funny,” he […]
By: Al Kaprielian – Jan. 2016 As December neared the end, we finally saw our first winter storm with snow, sleet, freezing rain, and rain. December 2015 will go down as the warmest December on record ever for Boston at number one. On December 28th, the average temperature was 46.4 degrees, which is 11.3 degrees […]
In the race for the Republican nomination for President, there are really only four viable candidates as we approach the February 9th New Hampshire Primary, and the Massachusetts Primary in March. They are Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, and Chris Christie. To understand the race and why it is so contentious, you first have […]
By: Tom Duggan, 1-12-15 Massachusetts State Lottery Director Michael Sweeney told the Valley Patriot Tuesday morning that the Powerball jackpot has been adjusted to $1.5B, the largest lottery payout in world history. “It’s really a big win for the state,” Sweeney said. The Powerball jackpot hasn’t been hit in 19 successive drawings. The last time someone […]
By: Paul Murano – 1-11-16 Since I now live in NH, I thought I’d take advantage of seeing the presidential candidates up close and personal this political cycle. There are two ways I judge candidates: 1) who I think would be best for the country, and 2) who I think has the best chance of […]
State Representative Jim Lyons (R-Andover) today supported the repeal of a 1989 law requiring individuals to forfeit their driver’s license for five years for certain drug-related offenses. The current law is seen as a deterrent to individuals convicted of minor drug crimes who try to secure employment or treatment following their release from prison. The […]
By: Forest Rain – December, 2015 Israel is under attack. The hate that has been carefully instilled in the Arab population, in Jerusalem, Palestinian Authority controlled areas and throughout the State of Israel is bursting at the seams and individual Arabs, mostly young people, are committing attack after attack. You have to be taught to […]
By: Jeff Jacoby – December, 2015 At last [month’s] State Department press briefing, spokesman John Kirby was asked about the murder of Ezra Schwartz, an 18-year-old from Sharon, Mass., slain in Israel a day earlier by a Palestinian gunman who opened fire on the van in which he and several other students were riding. […]
JUST ONE MAN’S OPINION On September 14, 2015 the Tomasellis went before the Salisbury Board of Selectmen/Sewer Commissioners and asked them to instruct attorneys for the town to tell the courts, that the Tomasellis were not responsible to pay for this sewer betterment. They did not own the property in 1982 when the assessment was […]
By: Senator Kathleen Ives Dec. 2015 The Massachusetts Senate recently completed the first year of a two-year legislative session by sending to the governor’s desk legislation for increased penalties for trafficking fentanyl, and five bills related to veterans. To further address the health crisis of opiate abuse in the Commonwealth, the legislature passed House Bill […]
By: John MacDonald – Dec. 2015 The question of whether or not Donald Trump will prevail as the Republican nominee for president or has a chance to run for president and win is extremely disturbing to the establishment in both parties. Trump has been bombastic, controversial, knee jerk, overly sensitive and unscripted. Everything a traditional […]